Plate type cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A plate type cooling apparatus is disclosed. The plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first elastic plate made of an elastic material; a second elastic plate made of an elastic material and having one end thereof joined with the first elastic plate and the other end thereof separated from the first elastic plate; a piezoelectric element coupled with at least one of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate and being deformable by applied electric power; and a power source coupled with the piezoelectric element so as to apply electric power to the piezoelectric element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0134301, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 6, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a plate type cooling apparatus.

2. Background Art

Recently, ultra-small, high performance electronic devices have been developed for use in various areas. AS These electronic devices become increasingly lighter and smaller, semiconductor elements are also increasingly integrated. As a result, an higher amount of heat is generated even in micro areas, possibly deteriorating the performance of these electronic devices.

Accordingly, one or more cooling apparatuses are installed in the electronic device in order to remove the high heat generated in the electronic device. The most typical one of such cooling apparatuses is a fan type of cooling apparatus, which dissipates the heat by driving a fan and circulating the air in the heat source.

However, such a conventional cooling apparatus is excessively noisy, consumes a relatively large amount of power, and has difficulty in making the cooling apparatus smaller due to the limitations in the fan structure itself.

The related art of the present invention is disclosed in Korea Patent Publication No. 2007-0010944 (COOLING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE; laid open on Jan. 24, 2007).

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a plate type cooling apparatus that is capable of high efficiency heat dissipation with less noise and less power and can be readily made thinner.

The plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first elastic plate made of an elastic material; a second elastic plate made of an elastic material and having one end thereof joined with the first elastic plate and the other end thereof separated from the first elastic plate; a piezoelectric element coupled with at least one of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate and being deformable by applied electric power; and a power source coupled with the piezoelectric element so as to apply electric power to the piezoelectric element.

Here, each of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate can include: a joined portion in which opposite faces are tightly contacted and joined with each other; and a vibrating portion which is bent in the shape of branching from the joined portion and to which the piezoelectric element is coupled.

The piezoelectric element can be coupled to the vibrating portion by being extended lengthwise from a bent point to an end of the vibrating portion.

The plate type cooling apparatus can also include: a base having a heat source installed thereon; and a protrusion protruded above the base by a predetermined height to have the joined portion connected thereto.

The protrusion can have a plurality of coupling protrusions formed on an upper surface thereof, and the joined portion can have coupling holes, which correspond to the coupling protrusions, formed therein. Accordingly, the coupling protrusions can be inserted in the coupling holes when the joined portion and the protrusion are coupled with each other.

The plate type cooling apparatus can also include a buffer interposed between the joined portion and the protrusion so as to absorb a shock.

The plate type cooling apparatus can be formed in such a way that a width of the joined portion is smaller than a width of the vibrating portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of how the plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is installed in an electronic device.

FIG. 3 is exploded view showing the electronic device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows how a heat source is cooled using the plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a certain embodiment of a plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, any identical or corresponding elements will be assigned with same reference numerals, and no redundant description thereof will be provided.

Terms such as “first” and “second” can be used in merely distinguishing one element from other identical or corresponding elements, but the above elements shall not be restricted to the above terms.

When one element is described to be “coupled” to another element, it does not refer to a physical, direct contact between these elements only, but it shall also include the possibility of yet another element being interposed between these elements and each of these elements being in contact with said yet another element.

FIG. 1 shows a plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of how the plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is installed in an electronic device. FIG. 3 is exploded view showing the electronic device of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows how a heat source is cooled using the plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can include a first elastic plate 100, a second elastic plate 200, a piezoelectric element 300 and a power source 400, and can further include a base 500, protrusion 600 and a buffer 700.

The first elastic plate 100 is a plate-shaped member that is made of an elastic material, and, as shown in FIG. 4, can be vibrated by its own elasticity when external force is applied. Here, elasticity refers to a property of an object deformed by external force that tends to return to the original shape when the external force is removed.

The second elastic plate 200 is also a plate-shaped member that is made of an elastic material, and as shown in FIG. 4, can be vibrated by its own elasticity when external force is applied. Moreover, one end of the second elastic plate 200 is joined with the first elastic plate 100, and the other end of the second elastic plate 200 is separated from the first elastic plate 100.

That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, while the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 are joined together at their one ends, the other ends of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 can be separated from each other in such a way that the other ends of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 can vibrate.

The piezoelectric element 300 is a part that is coupled to at least one of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 and can be deformed by electric power. Specifically, the piezoelectric element 300 refers to an element using crystal or piezoelectric ceramics that generate voltage when mechanical stress is applied and are distorted when voltage is applied. When pressure is applied to the piezoelectric element 300, the voltage of the piezoelectric element 300 is changed (i.e., piezoelectric effect), and when voltage is applied, the piezoelectric element 300 is expanded or contracted.

Since the piezoelectric element 300 can convert electrical energy to mechanical energy, it is possible to couple the piezoelectric element 300 to at least one of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 to apply external force to the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200. Moreover, as described above, the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200, to which external force is applied by the piezoelectric element 300, can be vibrated by the elasticity.

The power source 400 is a part that is coupled with the piezoelectric element 300 so as to supply power to the piezoelectric element 300. In such a case, the power source 400 can be variously configured by including an element, for example, FPCB (Flexible PCB), which can supply power to the piezoelectric element 300 and/or can control the type of supplied power and the supply period.

As such, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can vibrate the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 by supplying electric power to the piezoelectric element 300. In such a case, even though the piezoelectric element 300 is coupled to any one of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200, both the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 can be vibrated due to a resonance action between the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200.

Described below specifically is how the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 shown in FIG. 4 are vibrated.

Firstly, when the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 are spread open, surrounding air can be flowed into the space between the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200. Moreover, when the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 converge, the air that has been flowed in the space can be discharged instantaneously and delivered toward a heat source 10.

Accordingly, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has a relatively small frictional resistance in between parts thereof during an air-cooling process and thus is capable of low-noise, low-power heat dissipation. Moreover, since the heat source 10 can be cooled using the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 that are plate-shaped, the cooling apparatus can be readily made thinner.

Meanwhile, by including the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 that are capable of resonating with each other, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can demonstrate a much more efficient cooling performance than configured with a single elastic plate only.

TABLE 1 Unit Single Type Dual Type Air Volume cfm 0.3 @ 150 Vpp/250 Hz 0.8 @ 150 Vpp/110 Hz Noise dB  35 @ 150 Vpp/250 Hz  22 @ 150 Vpp/110 Hz

Table 1 shows the results of experimental measurement of air volume and noise according to the number of elastic plates in the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the single type, a single elastic plate of 35*45 mm is used, and in the dual type, two of the single type elastic plate are configured like the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Table 1, while the air volume for the dual type is increased by more than twice than that of the single type, the noise for the dual type is decreased than that of the single type. In other words, it can be experimentally measured that the air volume is increased and the noise is decreased per inputted power by the two elastic plates resonating with each other.

In the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 can each include a joined portion 110, 210 and a vibrating portion 120, 220.

As shown in FIG. 4, the joined portion 110, 210 is a portion where opposite faces are tightly contacted and joined with each other, and is not vibrated even when external force is generated by the piezoelectric element 300 and can support the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200.

The vibrating portion 120, 220 is a portion that is bent in the shape of branching from the joined portion 110, 210 and to which the piezoelectric element 300 is coupled, and can be vibrated when external force is generated by the piezoelectric element 300.

If no bent portion were formed in each of the elastic plates 100, 200, free ends of the elastic plates 100, 200 would be partially restricted by fixed ends of the elastic plates 100, 200 that are joined with each other, decreasing the vibration of the free ends. Moreover, the vibration of the free ends would cause the fixed ends to vibrate as well, making it difficult to secure a stable support through the fixed ends.

Therefore, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can minimize an influence between the portion supporting the elastic plates 100, 200 and the portion that is vibrating, by sectionalizing each of the elastic plates 100, 200 into the joined portion 110, 210 and the vibrating portion 120, 220 that are bent from each other.

Here, the piezoelectric element 300 can be coupled to the vibrating portion 120, 220 by being extended lengthwise from a bent point to an end of the vibrating portion 120, 220. In order to generate a large volume of air by use of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200, the vibration of the free ends of the vibrating portion 120, 220 needs to be great with respect to the joined portion 110, 210.

Accordingly, the vibration by the piezoelectric element 300 can be maximized by installing the piezoelectric element 300 on vibrating portion 120, 220 lengthwise from the bent point to the free end thereof.

Although it is illustrated in the present embodiment that the piezoelectric element 300 is in the shape of a slender rectangle, the shape of the piezoelectric element 300 is not restricted to what is illustrated herein, and various shapes of the piezoelectric element 300 are possible as necessary, for example, a circle or a polygon.

The base 500 is where the heat source 10 is installed, and as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, can have the heat source 10, the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 installed on an upper face thereof.

The protrusion 600, which is a portion that is protruded above the base 500 by a predetermined height to have the joined portion 110, 210 connected thereto, can be installed in such a way that the joined portion 110, 210 is supported while the vibrating portion 120, 220 is separated from the base 500 by a predetermined distance.

If the vibrating portion 120, 220 were tightly contacted with the base 500 or collided with the base 500 when the vibrating portion 120, 220 vibrates, not only could the base 500 be damaged, but the cooling ability of the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 could be deteriorated.

Therefore, since the vibrating portion 120, 220 needs to be installed to be separated from the base 500 by a predetermined distance, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can couple the joined portion 110, 210 to the protrusion 600 that is protruded over the base 500.

While it is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 that the protrusion 600 is coupled to an outer case, which is installed independently from the base 500, penetrates the base 500 and is protruded above the base 500, the configuration of the protrusion 600 is not limited to what is described herein, and it is possible that the protrusion 600 is coupled directly to the base 500.

Moreover, while it is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 that the protrusion 600 and the joined portion 110, 210 are coupled with each other through a coupling screw 115 that is engaged through a screw hole 113, the coupling configuration is not limited to what is described herein, and various forms of coupling configurations are possible, for example, the protrusion 600 and the joined portion 110, 210 being bond-coupled with each other by an adhesive material.

In the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion 600 has a plurality of coupling protrusions 610 formed on an upper surface thereof, and the joined portion 110, 210 has coupling holes 111, which correspond to the coupling protrusions 610, formed therein, and thus the coupling protrusions 610 can be inserted in the coupling holes 111 when the joined portion 110, 210 and the protrusion 600 are coupled with each other.

If the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 rotated about a contact point with the protrusion 600 when the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 vibrate, the air projected toward the heat source 10 would be dispersed in other directions.

Accordingly, the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has the plurality of coupling protrusions 610 and the coupling holes 111 engaged with one another when the joined portion 110, 210 and the protrusion 600 are coupled with each other, thereby effectively preventing the first elastic plate 100 and the second elastic plate 200 from said rotating.

The buffer 700, which is a part that is interposed between the joined portion 110, 210 and the protrusion 600 to absorb a shock, can minimize vibrations delivered to the protrusion 600 from the vibrating portion 120, 220. Particularly, by having the vibrations generated during the cooling process absorbed by the buffer 700, vibrations can be prevented from being generated in an electronic device in which the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

Here, the buffer 700 can include a buffer materials, such as a washer or a cushion pad, which can properly absorb a shock between the joined portion 110, 210 and the protrusion 600.

FIG. 5 shows a plate type cooling apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a plate type cooling apparatus 2000 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention can be formed in such a way that a width of a joined portion 110, 210 is smaller than that of a vibrating portion 120, 220.

In other words, the joined portion 110, 210 can be formed in the shape that outer portions thereof, except middle portions thereof that are coupled with the protrusion 600, are removed.

As a result, the volume and weight of the plate type cooling apparatus 2000 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention can be minimized. Moreover, by minimizing the linear length by which the vibrating portion 120, 220 is confined to the joined portion 110, 210, bigger vibrations can be made by the vibrating portion 120, 220.

The configurations of the plate type cooling apparatus 2000 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention are identical to those of the plate type cooling apparatus 1000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, except for the configuration of the joined portion 110, 210, and thus the configurations will not be described redundantly.

Although certain embodiments of the present invention have been described hitherto, it shall be appreciated that the present invention can be variously modified and permutated by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains by supplementing, modifying, deleting and/or adding an element without departing from the technical ideas of the present invention, which shall be defined by the claims appended below. It shall be also appreciated that such modification and/or permutation are also included in the claimed scope of the present invention. 

1. A plate type cooling apparatus, comprising: a first elastic plate made of an elastic material; a second elastic plate made of an elastic material and having one end thereof joined with the first elastic plate and the other end thereof separated from the first elastic plate; a piezoelectric element coupled with at least one of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate and being deformable by applied electric power; and a power source coupled with the piezoelectric element so as to apply electric power to the piezoelectric element.
 2. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate comprises: a joined portion in which opposite faces are tightly contacted and joined with each other; and a vibrating portion which is bent in the shape of branching from the joined portion and to which the piezoelectric element is coupled.
 3. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric element is coupled to the vibrating portion by being extended lengthwise from a bent point to an end of the vibrating portion.
 4. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a base having a heat source installed thereon; and a protrusion protruded above the base by a predetermined height to have the joined portion connected thereto.
 5. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the protrusion has a plurality of coupling protrusions formed on an upper surface thereof, wherein the joined portion has coupling holes, which correspond to the coupling protrusions, formed therein, and wherein the coupling protrusions are inserted in the coupling holes when the joined portion and the protrusion are coupled with each other.
 6. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a buffer interposed between the joined portion and the protrusion so as to absorb a shock.
 7. The plate type cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein a width of the joined portion is smaller than a width of the vibrating portion. 